A boarding school for girls -- sounds like a nightmare. Sophronia wasn't looking forward to all the curtsy and proper fainting techniques until she discovered what Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality was really about : algebra lessons on mixing the right poisons, werewolves and vampire teachers, super at 10 pm so a girl can sleep in the mornings... Paradise. Except there's a thief among them, whose evil plan could destroy everything, and it looks like Sophronia is the only one who can stop this madness.

Carriger is know for mixing mystery, steampunk and paranormal in her Parasol Protectorate series. It was interesting to see that her formula carried on well into YA. She even included a romance between Sophronia and a boy named Soap. Despite the thrilling aspect, humorous undertones kept the story light and allowed it to turn into a series quite nicely.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Naz and his nine year old sister Meri don't have it easy. Not only do they live in a neglected foster home, but in a neighborhood where gangs rule. One of them in particular wants Naz to join, forcing him to struggle even harder to find a way to get Meri into a boarding school. But who will take care of Naz -- how long will he be able to keep up before the gang gives him no choice?

Winston placed a lot of emphasis on the characters. Aside from the supernatural qualities that Naz is about to discover, his creativity and business intuition are even more admirable. The story is woven with action, dreams and even therapy sessions.

Heartbreak causes me to go straight to the horror section. Imagine, reviewing a romance at that precise moment - the whole story would seem corny and cliched. I'd rather stick to horror at those times, plus my library has a good selection.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Sometimes you need to hold on to something tight to let it go.
Connor's mum has cancer. Of course, Connor doesn't want you to know that -- he doesn't want anyone to know. Ever since the school found out, he keeps getting bullied or given special treatment by the staff. Things can't get any worse, until a monster arrives at his bedroom window and teaches him an important lesson.

Crying is not an option as Patrick Ness tears Connor's life apart. Cancer is a cruel enemy, and when battling with such forces, it's okay to scream, and beg, to shout for a monster to come out and defeat it for us. Connor's anger might not always seem justified, especially the way he treats his friend Lily or his grandmother who simply wants to help anyway she can. But it's part grieving.

Do not pass this one up! Susan Sarandon joined the cast not so long ago so make sure you read it before the movie comes out.

Monday, December 8, 2014

If Josh Sundquist and I were having coffee, I'd tell him straight up: "You need to be more assertive."Granted, wooing a person that you like isn't easy. It requires guts and letting go of the fear of rejection, something that troubled Josh ever since he lost a leg to cancer at a young age. But is this one leg causing Josh to remain single or is it all in the attitude?

After seeing all the fandom surrounding Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars, I went in reading this book thinking the latter. Augustus had the one thing that makes all girls swoon -- confidence. Whereas Josh would ask a girl out and then disappear after she'd say yes, certain that they would initiate the next step and set up the date. In fact, the whole book were examples of dating faux-pas, followed by "reunions meetings" where Josh, wanting some insight, would sit down with the girls and ask them for closure.

A nice memoir written with humorous undertones that reminds us of all the loves in our lives that never became a thing.

On the plus side, Josh recently announced on his instagram that he is getting married!! I guess those closures helped.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Jane likes Damon. But her art project (P.L.A.I.N) landed him in community service, and now he keeps rebuffing her attempts to get close again. First, by going around with another girl, then by declining her invitation to a school dance because he'd rather go with a friend. Should Jane move on?There were far too many characters in this sequel, leaving the rest underdeveloped. Like a secret admirer that wasn't really addressed. Instead, we get Jane and her five friends moping around because they can't find dates. Her attraction to Damon is undeniable, but sometimes, the best thing to do is let the other person go and see if they come back. I wish the paperback format were larger, seeing as the images appeared in black and white and were filled with details, they would have been easier to appreciate.Not as good as the first.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

TOP 2015 BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATIONS

Too many books top my TBR list for 2015 (my Goodreads list is at 131 to be exact) and so I decided to spare you the scrolling and opted to discuss for Book to Film Adaptions I'm looking forward to in the coming year.

Insurgent

The movie is just a few months away. I loved what they did with Divergent, and can't wait to see the sequel come to life.

The Duff

Okay, so the girl they picked as the ''Designated Ugly Fat Friend'' isn't neither fat nor ugly. But the boy does look charming. Why not give it a try?

Paper Towns

Looking forward to seeing Cara Delevingne on the big screen. She also has a part in Pan which made my list as well.

Pan

Granted, it's a loose very loose adaptation of Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie but it looks awesome and includes Tiger Lily.

Ant Man

Ant Man vs the evil bees! The first thing I said to myself after reading the comic book, was ''there is no way this could be made into a film.'' I got proven wrong.

Mockingjay: Part II

I just saw part one, and I am super greedy, because I need part two. Right away!!

Fifty Shades of Grey

On my to view list. Hope they combine most of the books into one film.